It’s a well-known fact that after the Battle of New York, the Avengers enjoyed some Shawarma. But the next day, Tony put his phone on vibrate, gave J.A.R.V.I.S. the night off, and treated Pepper Pots to an amazing homecooked meal. After a day of battling the Chitauri, nothing hits the spot like Italian Food. This stuffed pasta dish can be made with a variety of different meats, cheeses, and/or veggies, but ricotta and spinach are a great pair – kind of like Iron Man and War Machine.

Citrus-seasoned shrimp deserves to be grilled and wrapped in a warm tortilla the same way pigs should be baked into blankets and pizzas should be cooked into rolls. Quality cuisine, all three. This grilled shrimp is delicious on its own, but the fun of tacos is exploring the multiple combinations of salsas, sauces, and toppings. Try these with Mexican Cabbage Salsa, Crema-Verde Dipping Sauce, Guacamole, Green Onion Aioli, or if you’re daring, Ti-Malice Haitian Hot Sauce.

I don’t love soup. Filling up on hot, flavored water before my Surf & Turf is served is unacceptable. There are, however, exceptions. Gumbo, cioppino, pho, clam chowder in a sourdough bread bowl, and French Onion top the list. As the best part of French Onion Soup is the toasted bread covered in melting cheese, this recipe reprioritizes the ingredients in the best of ways.

There are two types of short ribs. English Cut or Flanken Cut. An English Cut slices the ribs along and between the bones so that they stay intact between the chunks of meat. But a Flanken Cut slices across and through the bones so that each rib has a thin, round, slice of bone in it. Bones bring flavor. This cut, also called “Korean Style”, is thin (1/4-inch to 1/2-inch thick) so they rock marinade really well and cook up quick.

There are also two types of people. Those that have enjoyed the smokey-sweet flavor of Bulgogi and those that will soon enjoy the smokey-sweet flavor of Bulgogi. So do yourself a favor and be a Bulgogi person. Be a Flanken Cut short rib person. Be a happy person and grill up these ribs.

Coleslaw is cabbage. Cabbage is a vegetable. Ya know how I feel about most vegetables. But shredded cabbage is redeemed by adding the nectar of the Gods, mayonnaise. Mayo fixes everything. Car out of gas, add mayo. Broke your leg, slather it in mayo. Don’t have enough money for rent, mail your landlord an envelope full of mayo. This is a classic side dish with both BBQ and spicy food because it helps cut through the richness of smoked or grilled meat and the mayo-based sauce helps cool the fire of spicy wings or other hot-pepper based dishes.

Here is a list of things my son is good at: Everything. He is one of those people that can just do it all. Ya know that TV Show ‘MacGyver’? The one with the guy who disarms a bomb with a paperclip and stick of gum, hotwires a helicopter with a banana peel, and then rebuilds the engine of a Honda Accord with nothing but a Swiss Army Knife. Yep, Joey. When he’s not out having adventures in his custom-built Jeep, he’s sweating over his smoker and coming up with new ways to make me eat my vegetables.

This shrimp packs a punch. If you’re a primitive screwhead that’s afraid of spicy food, don’t you worry. The buttery cream sauce makes this sweet baby a dish you’ll be able to handle. So say the words: “Klaatu”, “Barada”,… um, …, “Creamy-Buffalo-Wing-Sauce-Simmered Shrimp”. You got that? Groovy.

Try getting everyone in your family to agree on what movie you’re going to stream and watch. When this frustration wears off, ask them what they want for dinner. If you’re lucky enough to agree on chicken wings, then test your luck by picking a flavor. But all is not lost. These wings are the best of both worlds and combine the citrus bite of lemon-pepper with the savory tang of chili-lime. I’m more of a spicy wing kind of guy, but when it comes to picking movies and wings, compromise is the key. These mild wings are sure to be a family favorite.

There’s something about food from this part of the World that appeals to every taste bud on my tongue. I usually lament the fact that I have to book a flight and navigate airport security just to get a decent Po Boy – but at least this travel is in the same hemisphere. I can’t imagine my limited attention span surviving a flight to the other side of the globe. Luckily, there are an increasing number of Laotian, Cambodian, Vietnamese, and Thai restaurants in most North American cities so I don’t have to dust off my passport and shoehorn my ass into the smallest and most uncomfortable seat in the air.

These ingredients are a staple and this simple sauce gets used with shrimp, clams, mussels, all three, poured over rice, tossed with noodles, and even drizzled over roasted or grilled corn on the cob.

The Salt & Pepper in this recipe does not refer to the two most common spices in every person’s kitchen. Nor does it refer to a hip-hop group from Queens. It’s based on a popular Chinese style of dishes. These wings are a nice change-up from traditional Buffalo-Style. They can be made mild or they can be made hot if you want to push it. Push it good. P-push it real good.